Some Selected Reports from The Windsor and Eton Express

31st December 1842

State of the Streets

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Besides the complaint of our correspondent "Spectator" we have received others since our last weeks notice of the dirty state of the streets, &c. As we have done as much as we can towards abating the nuisances so justly complained of, we now recommend that future complaints be formally made by some of our inhabitants to his worship the mayor, who, we are satisfied , will give the subject his best consideration , and endeavour to prevent the continuance of such cases of complaint by his fellow parishioners.

Windsor Subscription Ball

Last evening the third subscription ball of the nobility and gentry of this neighbourhood took place at the Town Hall. It was attended by about 120 of the most distinguished families of this vicinity , including the following:- Mrs. Vansittart and party; Mrs. Ricardo and party; Colonel Wood, M.P.; Sir East and Lady Clayton East and party; Mr. and Mrs. Riley; Mr. Ward and family; Col. Challoner; Mrs. and Miss Crutchley; Captain Horrocks; Captain Robinson; Lady West and family; Sir H. Bathurst, Bart. and Miss Bathurst; the Hon. Mrs. Chichester; Lord Kimbolton; Mr. and Mrs. Brownrigg and party; Mr. and Mrs. Nash; Mr. W. Moore; Mr. and Mrs. Hercy and party; Mrs. Dobinson and family; Dr. and Mrs. Fergusson and party; Mrs. Mangles and party; Mr. Lee and party; Captain Hamilton, &c, &c.

Weippert's admirable band attended, and the night was spent in the most agreeable manner. The refreshments were provided by Mr.Layton, and they were upon his usual liberal scale, and of their usual excellence.

The Windsor New Church

The last stone of the spire of this church was laid on Wednesday last. It may be in the recollection of our readers that the first stone was laid by his royal highness Prince Albert on the 4th April, in this year, with the customary formalities.
The exterior, being now complete, presents a striking ornament to that part of the town and neighbourhood. The design reflects great credit on E.Blore, Esq., the architect, and the manner in which the works have progressed, under the superintendence of Messrs. Bedborough and Jenner, the builders, have given general satisfaction.

Melancholy and Fatal Accident

Yesterday a very dreadful accident occurred at the malthouse at Upton, belonging to Messrs. Jennings, the brewers, of Windsor, by which one unfortunate man was killed on the spot, and two others much injured.
The malthouse consists of three stories, the two lower of which are the working floors, and the upper was used for storing barley, a large quantity of which was placed there. There were four men at
work in the house, and happening to perceive one of the beams of the upper floor slightly giving way, they removed the malt from that part to the other side of the flooring, which thus became overloaded, and occassioned the subsequent accident. They then perceived some barley trickling down from the floor to the story beneath, on which one of them returned to the room to stop up the hole or crevice, when the whole of the flooring of that story fell into the room beneath, which was also broken away, and the whole fell to the basement story carrying the men with them in the general wreck.

Assistance was speedily procurred, and the poor fellows were extracted as soon as possible, when it was found that one of them, named Robinson, was killed on the spot, having been dreadfully fractured on the head. A second named Lane, the maltster, was found to have received several very dreadful injuries, internally and externally; he was conveyed to his lodgings, where he now lays
with little or no prospect of recovery. The third man was very severely wounded, but not dangerously; and the fourth providentially escaped with a slight bruise. Information of the occurrence was forwarded to Mr.Charsley, the coroner, who ordered a jury to be summoned this afternoon to hold an inquest on the body of the unfortunate man, Robinson.

Pigeons Shot

Some person, close to the town, on Wednesday last, maliciously shot at a flight of carrier pigeons and wounded one of them; a reward of a sovereign has been offered to any person giving such information as will lead to the apprehension and conviction of the guilty party.
There are several idle fellows about the town and neighbourhood who unlawfully go about the town shooting anything that may come within their reach, and who require a little of the notice of the police.

Seasonable Gifts to the Poor

Her Majesty's New Years Gifts to the Poor - Exclusive of her Majesty's munificent Christmas gifts to about one hundred poor families residing in this borough, as noticed in last weeks Express, we have now to record an additional act of the royal benevolence as a new years gift to a similar number of poor and industrious families in this town, and to-day it has been distributed in the same proportion as before, viz., to each family a sack of coals, meat, potatoes, pudding, bread and ale. The individuals were selected as recipients by the committee of the Windsor District Visiting Society, and the provisions &c. were distributed by Mr.Thomas Adams, the vicar's churchwarden.

Windsor Union

The inmates of the Union-house were, on Christmas day, liberally supplied with beef and plum-pudding and a pint of ale for dinner; and bread and butter for supper; the expenses of which were paid by subscriptions collected by the guardians of their respective parishes. The number of inmates at present in the house is 267,
being a less number than in the corresponding quarter of last year.

Eton Union

The whole of the inmates of the workhouse of Eton Union , to the number of 275, were on Christmas day regaled in a similar manner to those in the Windsor Union.

On Christmas day the prisoners confined in Windsor gaol were liberally regaled, by order of the Mayor (R.Tebbott, Esq.) and magistrates with an excellent dinner of roast beef, plum pudding, &c., to which they had added a sufficiency of strong beer. After dinner the prisoners expressed their gratitude to the mayor and magistrates for their treat
by drinking their healths; and they also drank the health of Simms, their keeper.

The Annual Christmas dinner of the parish of Old Windsor, given for many years by the late Mrs Beal Bonneli[?], at Pelling Place, was as usual given at Mr.Bitmead's sign of the Fox and Castle, on the 25th ult, agreeably to the above lady's will, by her residuary legatee.

Besides these many other charitable persons in this vicinity as well as throughout the country generally , have not forgotten their poorer neighbours.

Alfred Sloane was charged on suspicion of stealing a piece of lead pipe the property of Mr.Baker , of Russell-street.

James Horton, a supernumerary policeman, stated that about five o'clock on Tuesday afternoon he saw the prisoner come out of the shop of Mr.Bonner, a marine store dealer in Peascod-street, and he watched him. Another young man then joined the prisoner, and they walked in the direction of Clewer-lane, when the prisoner dived into another marine store shop, kept by Mr.Ewers.
Witness followed in, and saw him pull a piece of lead pipe from his pocket and offer it for sale, but Ewers declined to purchase it. Witness asked the prisoner where he got the pipe, and he said it belonged to him; witness told him if he could give no better account of it, he should take him in custody. The other man had by this time ran away. Witness took
the prisoner into custody, and on the road the latter said he worked for Mr.Baker, of Russell-street, and that he had picked up the pipe from a dung heap in Mr.Baker's yard. Witness took him to Mr.Baker's house, and there saw a young lady (Mr.Baker being away from home), and found that the prisoner was employed to look after Mr.B's horse. He then repeated that he had found the lead on the dung heap, and the young lady told him that he had no business to take it away, for it did not belong to him. Witness saw three water butts at Mr.Baker's, and the pipe produced was similar to that connecting the butts, but he had not yet examined and compared them. Mr.Baker himself had not yet returned to Windsor.

The prisoner said he picked up the pipe in Chancery-lane while getting Mr.Baker's phaeton out of the road to let out a cart, and that he threw it over the wall into the dung heap, until he returned, and when he did return he took it to Ewer's to sell it, as he knew of no owner for it. He denied that he had it in his pocket , for he carried it openly.

Horton swore distinctly that when looking through Ewer's shop window he saw the prisoner take the lead from his coat pocket.

The magistrates remanded the prisoner for attendance of Mr.Baker and other evidence, allowing him, however, to be liberated to appear at the next examination on finding sureties himself in £20, and two others in £10 each.

Catherine Gooding, a wretched-looking woman , was charged with obtaining money and relief under false pretences.

Charles Clarke, a policeman, stated that shortly before eight o'clock on the previous evening he saw the prisoner talking with Mr.Banister, jun., respecting getting relief, and Mr.Banister ordered him to take her to Mr.Newman, one of the overseers; she stated she was destitute, and that she had a husband and four children staying at the Black Horse public house.
Mr.Newman gave her a ticket to obtain the relief she sought for herself and family, and a gentleman in Mr.N's shop gave her three pence. The witness thought it best to go and see her husband and children, but on the way to the Black Horse she admitted that she had no husband or children there, and begged to be set at liberty.Witness thought it his duty to lodge her in the station house.

From the prisoner's statement it was evident, although she had told a falsehood to get relief, that she was in great distress. She appeared extremely penitent , and cried bitterly. She said that her husband had worked for Mr.Banister of Reading, and for other tradesmen, but was out of employ; that she had been obliged to pledge some articles, which brought upon her the anger of her husband, and that she left him, and came to Windsor, thinking probably Mr.Banister of this town would assist her.

The magistrates felt it was a case of distress, and declined to punish her. They discharged her, and liberally gave her some money to take her on her road home.

Eton Police - Monday
[before M.Swabey, Esq]

Stephen Taylor, late a pauper in the Eton Union workhouse, was charged with absconding from that place, as far back as the 23rd of October, and taking away with him some clothing, the property of the Board of Guardians. He was convicted and sent to hard labour in the House of Correction for a month.

James Stopps was charged with having on the 24th inst cut four ash poles, the property of Robert Harvey, Esq., of Black Park. He was ordered to pay for the damage done, and a fine amounting to 8s, and 16s 6d costs. In default he was committed to hard labour in Aylesbury gaol for 21 days.

[In our report of the Eton Police of last week, it was stated, by mistake, that Daniel Bosher, in the employ of Messrs.Jennings, was fined 20s, and 8s costs, for riding without reins; whereas the amount should have been 40s, and 8s costs.]